Based on the main recommendations of the DR Congo National Employment Policy which were included in the National Development Strategy for Growth and Poverty Reduction the PAEJK project aimed to develop a pilot integrated set of activities and measures in a way to facilitate access to employment for the Youth in Katanga. At the recent « Assises de la Coopération » in Brussels, May 6th, the Belgium Minister of Cooperation has declared that « La coopération belge est fière de financer, via la coopération déléguée, le projet pilote de l’OIT intitulé « Programme d’activités pour l’emploi des Jeunes dans la province du Katanga », qui se veut être un projet pilote dans la région sur le concept de travail décent."

Some of the key challenges addressed by the project are: The weaknesses of the vocational training system responsible for the low employability of young people and mismatch between supply and demand in the province labour market; The lack of entrepreneurial skills which impedes the development of self-employment and the creation of sustainable Micro, Small and Medium enterprises (MSMEs), particularly for women; The non-conducive environment for MSMEs leading to a lack of alternate employment in the mining sector (modern and traditional); The lack of capacity of the main stakeholders (national and provincial authorities, social partners, economic operators, education and vocational training establishments, etc.) for promoting and implementing an integrated policy package to boost productive employment in the Province.